The former lovebirds tried to keep their meeting in a swanky Los Angeles eaterie hush-hush.

Derek has been off the scene since the former X Factor judge paired up with her former husband, Chelsea and England football star Ashley.

But they got back together for dinner at the stylish Japanese restaurant Sushi Roku in West Hollywood.

And the pair attempted to keep their reunion a secret by leaving the restaurant through separate entrances.

Derek, 26, went out the front door while Cheryl, 28, made her exit through the back.

Earlier they dined from a menu that included truffles, raw tuna, scallops and seaweed.

Cheryl flew to America’s West Coast with her Girls Aloud pal Kimberley Walsh, 29, after pampering herself at a brand-new five-star celeb hideaway in central London.

She spent three evenings in one of the stylish Corinthia Hotel’s £2,000-a-night suites.

Some of Cheryl’s relatives won’t be distraught if she picks dancer pal Derek over serial cheater Ashley, 30.

The star’s mum Joan, 51, has warned the defender: “You hurt my daughter again and I will kill you.”

And a source close to the star revealed: “When Cheryl told Joan that Ashley was coming to her birthday party, she didn’t say a word and Cheryl warned her to be ‘nice’ to him for her sake and not to cause a scene.

“The pair had a conversation at the start of the evening and, when Cheryl asked what they spoke about, she admitted that she’d told Ashley that if he hurt her again she’d kill him.

“Cheryl laughed and said she was fine with that as she’d told him the same thing.

“But Cheryl clearly doesn’t see just how much it’s paining Joan and the rest of the family.”

Paul Talbot, who is a neighbour of Cheryl’s dad Gary, said: “The lad would be an idiot to upset Cheryl again.”

Some of Cheryl’s family friends have even branded the footballer ASS-ley Cole.

And they have pledged to punch him if he ever mistreats the Geordie songbird.

But Ashley’s dad Ron Callender will be delighted if Cheryl and his son get back together.

Talking from his home in Melbourne, Australia, Ron, 53, said: “I don’t think anyone should underestimate their love for each other, especially Cheryl’s love, to take Ashley back after everything that has gone on in the past.

“I think that it’s fantastic news, because they’ve never been happy with other people and, of course, they will stay together forever now.

“I reckon their relationship would be even stronger if they had a couple of kids.

“It’s up to them but it seems like the right time if it’s what they both want.”

Barbados-born Ron split from Ashley’s mother Susan, cousin of singer Mariah Carey, when his son was three.

He said: “I agree with Ashley when he said recently that he’s been very misunderstood at times because I think people have judged him when they don’t really know him.

“Whatever he’s done in the past or hasn’t done he’s never been like Tiger Woods with women.

“If Cheryl has asked Ashley to stop seeing all of his friends, as a condition of them getting back together, that would be very unfair,

“But I think it’s probably just one or two friends she might not want around too often and that’s not unreasonable.”

Ron added: “It would fantastic if I got an invite to their wedding.

“But I didn’t last time and I don’t expect to this time. If I did, I would go.”